Caleb Ulku, who runs a seven-figure AI-powered SEO agency, answers the most commonly searched SEO questions on Google. He covers foundational definitions (SEO, SEM, GEO), argues SEO is absolutely not dead given record Google search volumes, and emphasizes that SEO is only worth doing if you commit enough resources to reach the top 3 local results or first page — half-measures waste money. He also explains the growing overlap between traditional SEO and AI optimization (GEO), noting that good SEO gets you ~80% of the way to ranking in AI systems like ChatGPT. Practical topics include local SEO mechanics (Google Business Profile, local rank maps), the limited number of tools actually needed, and why ChatGPT cannot replace human SEO strategy.
The practice of optimizing content and online presence so that search engines and AI systems can understand what a business does and rank or recommend it to users searching for related services.
View concept page →SEO focused on ranking a Google Business Profile in the map pack for searches that return local map results, targeting the top three positions which capture 60–70% of local search traffic.
View concept page →The practice of optimizing content specifically for AI-based search systems like ChatGPT, Claude, and Grok, so they recommend your business; closely related to traditional SEO with roughly 80% overlap.
View concept page →Google's free local business listing that appears as map results above organic search results, distinct from a business's website and a critical component of local SEO visibility.
View concept page →A geographic visualization tool (also called a 'local SEO heat map') that shows exactly where a business ranks for a given keyword across different locations, helping identify gaps and guide optimization efforts.
View concept page →The backlinks, mentions, and online references that tell Google and AI systems that a business is credible and does what it claims, forming the second pillar of SEO alongside content production.
View concept page →Creating content designed to simultaneously satisfy three audiences—Google's algorithm, AI recommendation systems, and human users—to achieve high rankings and low bounce rates.
View concept page →The concept that partial SEO efforts that fail to reach page one (or top three for local) produce zero additional traffic and are therefore a complete waste of time and money.
View concept page →Content produced specifically to signal to Google that a business serves a particular geographic area, used to improve local rank map positions in underperforming locations.
View concept page →An SEO agency model that leverages AI tools like Claude and ChatGPT to handle specific tasks (content research, user intent analysis) faster, while relying on human expertise for overall strategy.
View concept page →An experimental method where two different SEO tactics are applied to separate groups of similar assets (e.g., GBPs) and results are compared to determine which approach improves rankings more effectively.
View concept page →The primary guest and SEO expert featured in the video, founder of an AI SEO agency that developed the Core 30 local SEO methodology and scaled to 97 plumber clients using AI-driven content and local link-building strategies.
View concept page →Paid advertising on search engines (e.g., Google Ads) to appear at the top of search results, as opposed to SEO which earns organic rankings without direct payment.
View concept page →Two complementary tools: Google Search Console tracks clicks arriving from Google Search, while Google Analytics tracks all website sessions regardless of source, providing different but complementary data.
View concept page →SEO marketing is ranking your business or your clients' businesses higher on Google search and on AI search. When it comes to AI search, the goal is to get AI to recommend your business, since when AI lists businesses, it usually feels more like a recommendation rather than a traditional search result.
SEO stands for Search Engine Optimization. The search engine in question is most commonly Google, but historically it could have referred to engines like Alta Vista, and today it also applies to AI platforms like ChatGPT. Essentially, SEO is about optimizing for an algorithm — a system designed to find things that people are looking for on the internet.
SEO (Search Engine Optimization) is about ranking on Google through organic, unpaid search results. SEM (Search Engine Marketing) involves spending money to appear at the top of Google search results, whether for local or non-local searches. The key distinction is that SEO is organic while SEM is paid advertising.
GEO stands for Generative Engine Optimization — it means optimizing your content for AI systems like ChatGPT, Claude, or Grok. The good news is that if you do SEO correctly, you're already about 80% of the way toward doing GEO correctly, because there is significant overlap between the two disciplines.
It depends. If you're doing it yourself and don't count your time, SEO can technically be free — you need to produce content, get backlinks, and get mentions without paying anyone. However, most people struggle to do all of that for free, so they end up paying either an agency or for individual services à la carte. SEO always costs either time or money.
No, SEO is not dead. Every quarter, Google reports record search volume, including through 2025. Doing SEO for Google also helps you get recommended by AI systems, making SEO increasingly valuable. While SEO changes and evolves every 6 to 12 months — what worked in 1998 is very different from what works today — it continues to be a relevant and growing field.
Yes, SEO is worth it for small businesses — but only if you commit to doing enough to reach the top three results for local search or the first page for non-local search. For example, ranking in the top three for a search like 'plumber Houston' can generate a seven-figure business. However, if you only do half-measures and move from page nine to page two, you'll get no additional traffic. The rule is: either do enough SEO to reach the top, or don't do it at all. Half measures are a waste of time and money.
Yes, SEO is a good career. The basics aren't rocket science — it's about producing content that algorithms can read and that users will convert on. Most SEO clients pay between $1,000 and $3,000 per month, so having just 5 to 10 clients is enough to build a six-figure business. Most people already know enough people in their network to land those first clients. It's a solid path to building a strong income.
Yes, the basics of SEO are relatively easy to learn and understand. The core concept is producing the right content for users and algorithms, then building trust signals so those algorithms believe you are who you say you are. Many SEO gurus deliberately make it sound complicated so you'll hire them instead of doing it yourself. Google also has an incentive to make organic SEO seem difficult since they earn 80-90% of their revenue from paid ads. SEO is not rocket science.
Yes, SEO can be self-taught. A good approach combines self-study with purchasing quality SEO courses and running your own split tests to understand what Google's algorithm actually responds to. For example, you might test two different strategies across 10 Google Business Profiles — applying strategy A to five and strategy B to the other five — then track which group ranks better using rank maps.
Not entirely. ChatGPT is not a replacement for human SEO expertise and cannot determine overall SEO strategy on its own. It often gives advice that sounds correct but doesn't actually improve rankings. However, ChatGPT and tools like Claude are very useful for speeding up specific tasks like content research and user intent analysis. If you give an AI tool a URL and ask what you need to do to rank higher, the advice is generally not useful. Use AI for specific tasks, not as a complete SEO solution.
Local SEO is SEO where the goal is to rank a Google Business Profile (GBP) rather than a website. A practical way to identify a local search is: if a map result with Google Business Profiles appears after you search, it's a local search. For example, searching 'plumber New Orleans' or 'yacht rental Dubai' both show map packs with GBPs, making them local SEO targets. Local SEO is about getting into the top three positions in that map pack.
The primary tool needed for local SEO is a Google Business Profile (GBP) management tool. This helps you upload photos regularly, publish GBP posts, reply to reviews, and keep the profile active — many of these tasks can be automated with AI. The other critical tool is a local rank map tool, which shows exactly where a business ranks for specific keywords across a geographic area. Beyond these two, you don't need many other tools. Expensive or complex SEO tools are generally unnecessary for local SEO.
A local SEO rank map (sometimes called a heat map) visually shows exactly where a business ranks for a specific keyword across different geographic locations. Positions 1, 2, and 3 are the most important — position 4 is considered the 'first loser' because almost no one sees it. The rank map tells you exactly where you need to improve and what content to produce to boost rankings in specific areas. For example, if a business shows a rank of 4 in certain locations, you would create geographically relevant content to convince Google that the business serves that area. Rank maps should be run at least every other week for active clients.
Google Search Console tells you how many clicks your website received from Google Search specifically. Google Analytics tells you how many times someone visited your website from any source. For example, if someone searches Google, clicks your site, bookmarks it, and returns 10 more times over 6 months: Search Console counts 1 click (the one from Google), while Google Analytics counts 11 sessions (the initial click plus 10 return visits). In short, Search Console shows how people found you via Google, while Analytics shows what people do once they're on your site.
About 90% of the time, creating a Google Business Profile requires video verification. Google will ask you to record a video that proves you have control over the business location and that the location is where you claim it is. The video is typically around 2 minutes long and needs to capture specific elements of the location. It can be challenging to include everything required in that timeframe, but it is very effective. If you need guidance, looking for a step-by-step verification checklist from experienced practitioners can help significantly.
For beginners, SEO comes down to two fundamental steps: First, produce the correct content — content that Google is looking for, content that AI tools like ChatGPT are looking for, and content that your users are looking for. Second, source the trust that Google and generative AI engines need to believe and rank that content. Trust is built through backlinks and mentions across the web. That's the foundation of SEO: produce the right content, then build the trust to support it.
SEO writing is creating content designed to accomplish three things simultaneously: help you rank on Google search, help you get recommended by AI tools like ChatGPT, and help users recognize they've found what they're looking for. Writing for all three audiences is critical because if a user clicks on your result and immediately hits the back button, you will lose your ranking position. Good SEO writing serves Google's algorithm, AI systems, and real human readers at the same time.
Yes, SEO is very much still relevant in 2025 and 2026. Google search volume and earnings are at record highs. There's also a growing pattern where people ask ChatGPT for a recommendation and then go to Google to verify it — meaning people are using both AI and traditional search, which makes SEO even more valuable. SEO is fundamentally about building trust so algorithms — whether Google, ChatGPT, Claude, or Grok — understand what your business does. That need isn't going away anytime soon.
An SEO professional working at or starting a solo agency can typically earn $100,000 to $150,000 per year in revenue. With a roughly 50% net margin, that translates to a salary in the $67,000 to $75,000 range, which aligns with commonly cited SEO salary figures. SEO clients typically pay between $1,000 and $3,000 per month, so just 5 to 10 clients is enough to reach six-figure revenue.